The Batteries for Advanced Transportation Technologies (BATT) Program is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Vehicles Technologies (FCVT) to help develop high-performance rechargeable batteries for use in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs). The work is carried out by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and several other organizations, and is organized into six separate research tasks.

Background and Program Focus

The BATT Program addresses the fundamental problems of chemical and mechanical instabilities that have impeded the development of EV, HEV, and FCEV batteries with acceptable costs, lifetimes, and safety. The aim is to identify and better understand cell performance and lifetime limitations before initiating battery scale-up and development activities. Emphasis is placed on the synthesis of components into battery cells with determination of failure modes, while maintaining strengths in materials synthesis and evaluation, advanced diagnostics, and improved electrochemical model development. The selected battery chemistries are monitored continuously with timely substitution of more-promising components or modifications thereof, as appropriate. This is done with advice from within the BATT Program and from outside experts, including consultation with automotive companies and DOE. Also factored into the BATT Program decision-making process is the continuous monitoring of world-wide battery R&D activities, including assessments carried out by others. This strategy constitutes a systematic screening of battery chemistries/designs that not only has a built-in methodology for reselection but also provides a clear focus for the development of new materials.

The Research page describes this work in more detail.

What is a battery provides a basic introduction to battery technology.

Quarterly Reports

Click here for the BATT Program quarterly reports.

OVT Annual Review

The BATT Program was reviewed as part of the OVT Annual Merit Review May 18-22, 2009. The presentations are available here.

Recent Annual Reports

Download as pdf files from the DOE FCVT Information Resources page. BATT Program research activities are included in the Energy Storage Research and Development annual progress reports.

BATT Program Inquiries

Contact Susan Lauer for further information about the BATT Program.

Proposals to carry out fundamental, focused research that directly addresses BATT Program goals are welcome. However, you are strongly encouraged to contact BATT Program management to discuss funding availability and specific BATT Program needs before submitting a proposal. Also, from time to time the BATT Program issues formal Requests for Proposals (RFPs)
to solicit research on specific topics, and details about these RFPs will appear
on this page. White Papers and Proposals are accepted on the following solicitation schedule.

2009 Submission Schedule

White Paper Submission Dates: June 15 or November 15, Submission Instructions are here

BATT Review Panel response in 1-2 weeks

If proposal plan is accepted, a full proposal would be due August 15, 2009 or January 31, 2010, Full Proposal Instructions are here

A weekly BATT program seminar is held at LBNL.

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Council (BERC) home page.